Rugged Controls Provides TAPS Instrumented Sheave to King County, WA

Submitted by toddl on Fri, 11/11/2016 - 10:42

Rugged Controls provides instrumented sheave and LCI-90i display to King County research vessel.

The Soundguardian, a new 48 foot twin-hulled aluminum boat built in Seattle by Kvichak Marine Industries at a cost of almost 2 million dollars, was commissioned to replace the 40-year-old research vessel Liberty. The Ballard News-Tribune reports, “This vessel is equipped with new technology that scientist will use to take better readings of water quality by gathering sediment, biological and water samples.”

Rugged Controls TAPS sheave was selected for this project because it offers the highest line tension accuracy in its product class. TAPS is short for tension, angle, payout, and speed, with all sensorsintegral to the sheave.

Follow arms with angle sensors monitor cable entry and exit angle while also serving to prevent the cable from jumping off of the sheave. The LCI-90i programmable display applies our angle correction to measurement data from the force sensor which is reading load on the sheave to provide an accurate line tension measurement.

The TAPS sheave is available from 12 to 28'' diameter, stainless steel and nylatron sheave material. King County's TAPS sheave was specifically grooved for .322'' EM oceanographic cable.

The LCI-90i has firmware designed to display and log all measurement parameters and was provided in our SS deck enclosure, perfect for day and night viewing, on deck installation, and operation in greenwater splash environments.

Rugged Controls sheave assemblies are customized to your application and can be provided with sensors for tension, payout, speed and angles. We can design vertical or horizontal lead sheave assemblies or hanging blocks for EM cable, wire or synthetic ropes.